Perinatal mortality following perinatal asphyxia & birth environment: Case-control study

Abstract

Perinatal asphyxia (PA) is a major health problem, responsible for high mortality and a wide range of morbidity. Several factors play a part in the occurrence of perinatal mortality during asphyxia. The aim of this work was to identify factors predictive of perinatal mortality following PA, using an unmatched case-control study. Thus, 31 cases and 126 controls were identified with a total of 157 newborns suffering from PA. It was carried out during April 1 to June 30, 2022, at the Mohammed VI University Hospital in Marrakech. The socio-demographic, clinical, and biological data of the newborns were collected using an evaluation grid. In this series, the sex ratio was 0.96 and the case-fatality rate 20%. The results showed that the factors showing a statistically significant association in the genesis of mortality in PA cases were : intrauterine growth retardation [(ORA= 4711,799), 95%, IC : ( 48,964, 453416,766)] ; maternal history [ (ORA =31,876, 95%,CI : (1,346;755,149)] ; Apgar index after 5 min less than or equal to 3: [(ORA=139,75), 95%, CI : (16,523 ; 1182,01)]; and congenital malformations : [(ORA=241,435), 95%, CI : ( 6,044 ; 9644,748)]. Consequently, addressing these factors is crucial to identify high-risk newborns at an early stage and to implement appropriate measures. The goal is to eliminate avoidable morbidity and disability.